咖啡因是一种从植物中提取的生物碱，是巧克力、咖啡和饮料中消耗最多的药物之一。咖啡因对中枢神经系统的潜在影响可以通过作用机制很容易地理解——拮抗腺苷受体、钙内流、抑制磷酸二酯酶。腺苷是腺苷受体的神经调节剂，腺苷受体在中枢神经系统中大量表达。咖啡因拮抗腺苷受体，从而刺激多巴胺的表达。它在大脑和神经系统内的许多代谢途径中发挥着关键作用，它减少淀粉样β-肽（Aβ）的积累，下调tau蛋白磷酸化，刺激胆碱能神经元并抑制乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）。它还具有抗氧化和抗细胞凋亡活性。咖啡因作为营养保健品，可以改善心理健康。它含有抗氧化剂、维生素、矿物质和膳食补充剂，可降低多种神经退行性疾病的风险因素，包括阿尔茨海默病、偏头痛、胆结石、癌症、亨廷顿舞蹈病和硬化症。它作为一种兴奋剂，能够提高某些止痛药的功效。除了积极影响之外，过量摄入咖啡因也会带来负面影响：睡眠模式改变、幻觉、高血压、矿物质流失，甚至胃灼热。本章重点介绍咖啡因摄入的利弊。版权所有 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. 保留所有权利，包括文本和数据挖掘、人工智能培训和类似技术的权利。

Caffeine is an alkaloid obtained from plants and is one of the most consumptive drug in the form of chocolate, coffee and beverages. The potential impact of caffeine within CNS can be easily understood by mechanism of action-antagonism of adenosine receptor, calcium influx, inhibits phosphodiesterases. Adenosine a neuromodulator for adenosine receptors, which are abundantly expressed within the central nervous system. Caffeine antagonized the adenosine receptor, hence stimulate expression of dopamine. It plays pivotal role in many metabolic pathways within the brain and nervous system, it reduced the amyloid-β-peptide (Aβ) accumulation, downregulation of tau protein phosphorylation, stimulate cholinergic neurons and inhibits the acetylcholinestrase (AChE). It also possess antioxidant and antiapoptotic activity. Caffeine act as nutraceutical product, improves mental health. It contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements, by reducing the risk factor of several neurodegenerations including Alzheimer's disease, migraine, gallstone, cancer, Huntington's disease and sclerosis. This act as a stimulant and have capability to increase the effectiveness of certain pain killer. Beside positive affects, over-consumption of caffeine leads to negative impact: change in sleep pattern, hallucinations, high blood pressure, mineral loss and even heartburn. This chapter highlights pros and cons of caffeine consumption.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.